Tag: Charlesbridge Publishing

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Non-Fiction

Animals, Animals, Animals!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Platypus and Puggle: Unusual Animals Big and Small, by Ariana Koultourides, (March 2026, Annick Press), $12.99, ISBN: 9781834020808

Ages 2-4

I love a good board book, and this introduction to animals we don’t always hear much about fits the bill. Lyrical alliteration takes the place of rhyme, providing a playful way to communicate facts about animals and their babies: “A hedgehog and some hoglets cuddle in a cozy hug”; “A platypus and a puggle play peekaboo in the pond”.  Each spread contains a pastel page with verse and a fact on one side, a colorful, quiet illustration on the other. An oversized board book at 7″ x 7″, little ones will enjoy turning the pages and meeting new animals again and again.

An adorable add to animal collections and perfect for storytimes!

 

 

Otter’s New Neighbors, by Li Xingming/Translated by Shan Chen, (May 2026, Charlesbridge), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623547554

Ages 3-6

Otter moves to a new home and learns about friendship in this adorable, gently comical story. New friends seem to come from everywhere to welcome Otter, all bearing gifts: Beaver brings planks to make a bed; Mr. and Mrs. Antelope bring a table; the Sheep family bring cotton for quilts, and the Geese children bring cattails from their mom that Otter can use to make cushions. Bear shows up, too, with a delicious pot of honey, but the door isn’t big enough. When Otter and friends try to pull Bear through, the door explodes into splinters and everyone goes flying: something that could lead to a lot of stress and fret, but Otter just laughs at the sheer silliness of the situation, putting Bear and everyone else at ease. Kids will love this story about friendship, acceptance, and not sweating the small stuff. Originally published in Chinese, the translation is smooth, with spare sentences that communicate playful joy. Xingming plays with perspective and light, creating beautiful incandescence with light sources; when Bear is pulled through the door, the bright white background bends along with Bear, as if he is being pulled through the book itself. A delightful story to pair with favorites like A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker.

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Read Black KidLit: Black Hair Can by Sylvia Rodriguez

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Black Hair Can: The Roots of Our Roots, by Sylvia Rodriguez, (Sept. 2025, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623545901

Ages 4-8

Black hair is a symbol of identity and a strong tie to Black culture. Here, Rodriguez observes the history of Black hair: a connection to history and a way to honor ancestors; a sign of social status; “a symbol of power, pride, and freedom”. Beautiful and bold digital illustrated spreads feature faces from the African diaspora, sporting hairstyles including dreadlocks, Bantu knots, Fulani braids, and natural Afros. A haunting spread shows a group of enslaved Africans, their hair shorn, the passage reading, “Black hair can be individual and still taken away”. Rodriguez closes with a description of the Crown Act, a campaign to keep women safe from discrimination over their hair’s style or texture. Back matter includes information about the Crown Act and more detail about each of the featured hairstyles. A moving and strong choice for collections.

 

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

Just in Case celebrates the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, by Megan Clendenan/Illustrated by Britany Cicchese, (Oct. 2025, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623544805

Ages 5-8

Located deep in a Norwegian mountain is the key to protecting the planet’s resources: the Svalbard Seed Vault. Just in Case tells the story of the Svalbard vault using clear and easy-to-understand language; Clendenan infuses her straightforward narrative with beautiful language, pairing with Cicchese’s digital landscapes to inspire awe: “Steel doors open and beckon into the belly of a mountain. Inside the air is as cold as the Arctic outside. Walls of ice shine like stars”. Clendenan and Cicchese show people from all over the world coming together to farm, plant, and eat together, thus creating a respect for nature and what the planet provides. Callouts throughout the book provide further context the importance of seeds and the vault’s creation. Frequent use of the phrase, “Just in case”, resonates with readers of all ages who hear – and say – the same phrase for everything from bringing an umbrella on a cloudy day to carrying a purse-sized first aid kit. It’s a phrase that speaks of importance, the need to be prepared, and creates a bridge of understanding. Back matter includes information on the need for seed safety, an author’s note, a bibliography and further resources. If you haven’t purchased this for your shelves yet, please do it now.

With Spring coming, this is the perfect time to discuss Just in Case: the Svalbard Vault’s anniversary is February 26th; Earth Day is April 22nd, and World Food Day is October 16th. If your library has a seed library, display the book with your library’s “seed vault” and encourage folks to add their seeds to the library’s collection. Find Seed Libaries at the Seed Library Network website.

Just in Case has starred reviews from School Library Journal, The Horn Book, and was a Shelf Awareness pick. It is also a 2026 Orbis Pictus Award Winner and is part of the 2026 Children’s Book Council Outstanding Science Trade Books and Children’s Book Council Best STEM Books.

 

Megan Clendenan studied sociology, English, and environmental planning and has worked for nonprofit organizations focused on environmental law, women’s empowerment, mental health, and urban food security. As a children’s book author, she loves writing nonfiction that explores the connections between history, society, and the environment. She is the author of Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet, Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment, and Cities: How Humans Live Together. She lives near Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and two fuzzy orange cats. This is her first picture book. To learn more, visit meganclendenan.com. Follow her on Instagram at @meganclendenan.

Brittany Cicchese enjoys capturing emotion above all else, from expressive portraits to moody illustrations. She is the illustrator of The Kitten Story: A Mostly True Tale and No More Señora Mimí. When Brittany isn’t sketching or writing, you can find her working at the library, reading a good fantasy or sci-fi book, or hiking around the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Brittany lives in Denver, Colorado. To learn more, visit www.brittanycicchese.com. Visit her Instagram at @cicchese.art.